Water vapor injection system and method for an internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

A water vapor injection system for an internal combustion engine comprising an air washer and moisturizer for supplying clean moisturized air to a carburetor and method therefore. The device and method comprises a container for containing water or other suitable solution and, having directional scoops on the top for directing the flow of air onto the blades of a fan which is mounted on a hollow shaft immersed in the water with a spinner mounted on the same shaft and ports in the shaft arranged just above the spinner. A slotted impinger ring and a filter are arranged in a circumferential groove around the container and a tube is connected between the groove and a carburetor to supply the clean moisturized air to the carburetor to thereby permit the gas air mixture to burn more efficiently and to reduce exhaust pollution.

United States Patent Goldfarb WATER VAPOR INJECTION SYSTEM AND METHODFOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Fred A. Goldfarb, 143 Jewett Avenue,Jersey City, NJ. 07304 Filed: June 15, 1970 App1.No.: 46,388

Inventor:

US. Cl. ..261/35, 261/98, 261/DIG. 4, 123/25 A, 123/25 L Int. Cl. ..F02d19/00, BOlf 5/22 Field ofSearch ..123/25.1, 25.4, 25 L; 261/91, 261/98,35, 18.1, DIG. 4

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [15] 3,655,169 Apr. 11, 1972Primary Examiner-Tim R. Miles Assistant ExaminerSteven H. MarkowitzAttorney-Marshall A. Lerner [5 7] ABSTRACT A water vapor injectionsystem for an internal combustion engine comprising an air washer andmoisturizer for supplying clean moisturized air to a carburetor andmethod therefore. The device and method comprises a container forcontaining water or other suitable solution and, having directionalscoops on the top for directing the flow of air onto the blades of a fanwhich is mounted on a hollow shaft immersed in the water with a spinnermounted on the same shaft and ports in the shaft arranged just above thespinner A slotted impinger ring and a filter are arranged in acircumferential groove around the container and a tube is connectedbetween the groove and a carburetor to supply the clean moisturized airto the carburetor to thereby permit the gas air mixture to burn moreefficiently and to reduce exhaust pollution.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented April 11, 1972 3,655,169

I N VE NTOR Fred A. Goldfarb Aim ATTORNEY WATER VAPOR INJECTION SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to a watervapor injection system and more particularly to a device and method forsupplying clean moisturized air to a carburetor used in conjunction withan internal combustion engine to reduce exhaust pollution.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the field of carburetors for internalcombustion engines, it has been the general practice to applyatmospheric air to the carburetor. In various prior art devices, the airis passed through a filter which is typically constructed of a treatedpaper substance. Such devices have not been entirely satisfactory sincethe filters have not been capable of providing sufficiently clean air tothe carburetor and the air is not moisturized. The ultimate effect ofsuch devices is the formation of a great deal of carbon in the engineand the emanation of exhaust gases which pollute the atmosphere.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a water vaporinjection method and apparatus for an internal combustion engine whichpossess none of the aforedescribed disadvantages and in particularreduces exhaust pollution.

To attain this, the present invention provides an air cleaner andmoisturizer consisting of a water container having an impellercomprising a fan and spinner. The fan is arranged at the top of a hollowshaft which is immersed in water in the container. Alternatively asolution of ether and wood alcohol or methanol could be used instead ofwater. The spinner is mounted on the shaft just slightly below the fanand above the level of the water with ports arranged on the shaftbetween the spinner and the fan. The top of the container has a seriesof holes arranged in a circle and shaped in the form of directionalscoops to direct incoming air onto the blades of the fan. Alternatively,the fan may be rotated by an exhaust driven turbine.

A slotted impinger ring is arranged circumferentially around thecontainer at about the level of the ports. A circular filter ring havinga diameter slightly greater than that of the impinger ring is arrangedconcentric with the ring and in a circular groove around the side of thecontainer.

A tube is used to connect the carburetor to the side of the container atthe circumferential groove in which the ring shaped filter is arranged.A suction from the carburetor causes a current of air to be passedthrough the directional scoops arranged on the top of the container.This current of air impinges on the fan blades and rotates the fan. Therotation of the fan causes a suction of water through the hollow shaftand through the ports in the shaft onto the spinner. The rotation of thespinner causes the water to impinge on the impinger ring in atomizedform and then onto the filter. The passage of air through the wet filtercauses a washing and moisturizing of the air.

The carburetor mixes this water saturated clean air with fuel to reducethe rate of combustion of the fuel-air mixture thereby resulting inimproved burning of the fuel. Water vapor injection raises the effectiveoctane rating of the gasoline and permits the use of a lower pricedgasoline in any automobile engine. In particular, it permits the use ofregular fuel instead of ethyl or high test gasoline in high compressionengines. Improved combustion prevents carbon from accumulating in theengine and, most of all, reduces exhaust pollution. Furthermore, sparkplugs last longer. The use of a mixture of ether and wood alcohol ormethanol instead of water would increase engine efficiencysubstantially.

The device may be used to provide clean moisturized air to a vehicle airconditioning system such as the type disclosed in my copending US. Pat.application Ser. No. 45,606 filed June 12, 1970 for an Air Conditioner.That invention provides for a tube connecting the air washer andmoisturizer to a screw type of compressor used in the air conditioningsystem. The compressed air from the compressor is passed to a vortextube having a cold air outlet which passes the cooled air to a heatexchanger which passes the cooled air to the vehicle cabin.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a watervapor injection system for an internal combustion engine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for reducingexhaust pollution from an internal combustion engine.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method forsupplying clean moisturized air to a vehicle carburetor.

Still another object is to provide means for supplying clean moisturizedair to be used in a vehicle air conditioner.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide means forincreasing the effective octane rating of gasoline used in an internalcombustion engine and further increase engine efficiency.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide means forincreasing the useful life of spark plugs and maintain an internalcombustion engine cleaner by reducing the carbon accumulation in theengine.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a top view of the container used in the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a hole shaped like a directional scoop inthe top of the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, thereis shown an embodiment of the present invention consisting of acontainer 10 which contains water of any other suitable solution such asa mixture of ether and wood alcohol or methanol. The air cleaner has afan 11 and spinner 12 mounted on a shaft 13 which is immersed in thewater solution. Shaft 13 is hollow and open at the bottom and containsports 14 arranged slightly above spinner l2. Directional scoops 16 fordirecting the flow of incoming air are arranged on the top of thecontainer. A slotted impinger ring 17 is arranged circumferentiallyaround the container at about the level of the spinner l2. Container 10further contains a drain spout 15 for draining settled dirt and water.

A circular filter ring 19 is arranged in a circumferential groove aroundcontainer 10. Output tubes 20 and 21 are arranged on either side of thecontainer ring holding filter 19 as shown. Output tube 20 is connectedto the carburetor to supply clean air and water vapor thereto. Outputtube 21 may be connected to a screw type of compressor used in a vehicleair conditioner as taught and shown in my copending US. Pat. applicationSer. No. 45,606 filed June 12, 1970.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container 10 showing the directional scoops16 arranged around the top.

FIG. 3 shows directional scoop 16 in greater detail. Directional scoop16 is contoured so as to direct incoming air onto the blades of fan 11to thereby cause the fan to rotate.

In the operation of the present invention, a vacuum from the carburetorto which tube 20 is connected causes air directed through directionalscoops 16 to impinge on the blades of fan 11 to thereby cause it torotate. The rotation of fan 11 causes water to be pumped through thecenter of shaft 13 and out ports 14. The rotation of the spinner causesthe water to be impinged on impinger ring 17 and thereby atomized. Theatomized water is applied to filter 19. The intake air of the aircleaner is passed through wet filter 19 and is thereby washed andmoisturized. Clean moisturized air is fed to a carburetor through tube20. Clean moisturized air may be fed through tube 21 to a compressor tobe used for air conditioning the vehicle as taught in my above notedcopending patent application.

The mixing by the carburetor of the moisturized air with gasolineimproves the burning of the fuel by slowing it down. The injection ofwater vapor raises the effective octane rating of the fuel and permitsthe use of a lower priced gasoline than would otherwise be required. Inparticular, it permits the use of regular gasoline instead of high testgasoline in a high compression engine. Furthermore, water vaporinjection improves combustion which thereby reduces exhaust pollution.The improved combustion reduces the carbon accumulation and furtherincreases the useful life of spark plugs.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. For example, the watersolution may be replaced by any suitable substance such as a mixture ofether and wood alcohol or methanol. This would increase the engineefficiency and, in particular, the available horsepower capacity as muchas 40 per cent. It is therefor to be understood that within the scope ofthe appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described.

lclaim:

1. In combination, a carburetor and a suction operated water vaporinjection system for supplying clean moisturized air to said carburetorcomprising a container for containing a liquid solution having vents inthe form of directional scoops for venting air therein; filter means;

fan operated impeller means arranged in said container to enable the airvented through said directional scoops to impinge thereon, andcontaining means for pumping said liquid solution and causing it toimpinge on said filter, said means for pumping comprising a hollow shaftand a circular spinner disk arranged on said shaft with ports arrangedon said shaft just above said circular spinner disk; and

output means for connecting said carburetor to said system for rotatingsaid fan operated impeller means and having said filter means arrangedadjacent thereto. 2. The device as described in claim 1 furthercontaining a slotted impinger ring arranged in close proximity to thecircumference of said slotted impinger disk for atomizing said liquidsolution.

3. A method for supplying clean moisturized air to a carburetor of aninternal combustion engine system comprising the steps of:

venting air into a liquid container having directional scoops onto theblades of a fan operated impeller means operative to pump said liquidcontained in said container on to a rotating disk which is rotated bysaid fan operated impeller means,

vaporizing said liquid which is pumped onto said rotating disk passingsaid vapor through a filter and thence through a suction outlet to saidcarburetor 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said vaporized liquid isfurther atomized by an impinging ring arranged adjacent to thecircumference of said rotating disk.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said liquid is water.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said liquid is a mixture of ether andwood alcohol.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said liquid is methanol.

1. In combination, a carburetor and a suction operated water vaporinjection system for supplying clean moisturized air to said carburetorcomprising a container for containing a liquid solution having vents inthe form of directional scoops for venting air therein; filter means;fan operated impeller means arranged in said container to enable the airvented through said directional scoops to impinge thereon, andcontaining means for pumping said liquid solution and causing it toimpinge on said filter, said means for pumping comprising a hollow shaftand a circular spinner disk arranged on said shaft with ports arrangedon said shaft just above said circular spinner disk; and output meansfor connecting said carburetor to said system for rotating said fanoperated impeller means and having said filter means arranged adjacentthereto.
 2. The device as described in claim 1 further containing aslotted impinger ring arranged in close proximity to the circumferenceof said slotted impinger disk for atomizing said liquid solution.
 3. Amethod for supplying cleaN moisturized air to a carburetor of aninternal combustion engine system comprising the steps of: venting airinto a liquid container having directional scoops onto the blades of afan operated impeller means operative to pump said liquid contained insaid container on to a rotating disk which is rotated by said fanoperated impeller means, vaporizing said liquid which is pumped ontosaid rotating disk passing said vapor through a filter and thencethrough a suction outlet to said carburetor
 4. The method of claim 3wherein said vaporized liquid is further atomized by an impinging ringarranged adjacent to the circumference of said rotating disk.
 5. Themethod of claim 4 wherein said liquid is water.
 6. The method of claim 4wherein said liquid is a mixture of ether and wood alcohol.
 7. Themethod of claim 4 wherein said liquid is methanol.